The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-04-22

had kept my head; if that paralyzins
brunette had not eyed me so steadily,
might have said:
Ladies, the condition Of our convicts
has long enlisted my anxious study. Moth
ing stirs my sympathy; nothing seems tc
me Of greater Importance than improve
ment in facilities for their comfort and
moral welfare. Any practical measure
which you have maturcd will command
my cordial support
But I didn't say that Instead, re-
piled:
eyes, there is too much laxity. Those
frequent escapes remind me OF our expert
ence in Colorado. \ drunken miner shot
fellow ore night, and the sheriff took him
to the Town jug and locked him up. The
jug was only log building set in the hill
side. lie got out so quick that he met. the
sheriff OH his return in front of the Wei
come Bar, and asked linn to stop in and
take a drink Then the crowd carried him
off to the nearest tree. lie didn't get
away that time.
Perhaps you do not quite understand
us, said Mrs. Miner, gravely. She I'M
folded a large package and disclosed a
mass of papers. ''IIere are the petitions,
circulated in every church in our county
and signed by all the best people, asking
that greater social and religious privileges
l,a axtnnJad 70 orr l.
you don't get them mp as handy as
we did in Colorado, | rejoined. ''When
We had our struggle for the county scat
we strung the petition on an old wringer
frame SO we could roll it up with a
crank
Brooks gave loud ''hcm. | looked
across. He was glaring at me in warning
wrath, and again recolectcd that these
Colorado "reminiscences were inopportune
| started around, caught the unfathom-
able eyes Of that marvellous brunette. and
lapsed into hopeless incapacity.
Pardon me for interrupting you. Gov
ernor, said Brooks, in cool, earnest
voice which at once commanded silence
and attention. ''But it is fitting these
ladies should know that their petition
ought to be given to their representative,
and he should press for appropriate leg
islation. Until that time this office is
powerless to act.
understand that. We only wished to show
the petitions for Il moment here as evidence
Of their popularity, aud ascertain the Gov
emor's feelings toward the movement.
Entirely favorable, madam, said 1.
'.lhcn We will bid you good day and
Withdraw. know your time is valuable.
Many thanks for your kindness. They
bowed The clerks scattered in the. ante
room and the ladies retired gracefully,
while | stood stupid, not yet recovered
from the surprise of their arrival. The
door closed behind them
There was silence moment. Brooks
sat with his back turned. He lifted up q
page Of manuscript and remarked with
flaitcring emphasis:
''Chus you made beautiful speech
'.Oh, shut up. shut APT | cried wildly.
throwing myself into chair.
Brooks's fortitude suddenly gave away.
lie cast himself forward ON his desk and
laughed hilarionsly. He rose and bowed
himself shrieking over chair. He drop
ped full length upon tie sofa on top Of the
pamphlets, helpless and nproarions. He
ha- ha ed all over the Office and crow ded me
with his outrageous mirth. When at last
he was completely exhausted he sat down
and faced me. qnizzically.
1t dawncd upon my mind that Brooks
and | had changed positions; that the
superior force of character, perhaps, now
was his: that the GOODNESS in emergencies
which is the test of strength. was most
manifest in him. Inspired in this dis
covcry, and by this occasion, justly re-
marked:
Il believe am the biggest iool of all
our state officers.
Ere had concluded | became aware that
the door was open. \ perfume of jocky
club iloated to my senses. Harold. grin
ming. had shown in the beautiful brunette,
and she was upon the threshold, looking
and listening.
'Did I leavemy parasols she asked
sweetly.
Harold picked it from the floor for her.
She bowed and went away.
Once more Brooks hung himself i'll
festoons over all the furniture, entirely
careless OF his own reputation in the
matter. When this unseemly mirth sub
sided he came 10 ME where | sat with
moist brow, clasped in both hands up
right before my desk, and said soothingly;
Never mind, Chug. Life is but snc-
cession of mistakes, with the best Of Hs. :
"Yes,'' replied. so far As ann con-
eerncd. begin to observe that
1t seems strange that at this age OF the
world anybody shou Id think of bringing
up girls without having them acquire
some means of selt-support. And yet we
often see a whole family of girls who read
a little and play little and do little fam
ily work and other things about
half way, blissfully unconscious of any
ability to earn cent even if they were